Leg Pain in Mornings!
 

About 3-4 mornings out of the week, I wake up and both my legs from below the knees to above the ankles have an intense (I mean enough pain to almost make me scream and cry) pain, burning, electrical stabs, crushing, needles, etc. It now takes about 20-40 minutes for it to go down to a dull pain. This started about 5 months ago, also when my SFN progressed over the rest of my body. At first I thought I just slept on them wrong, but I don't think I could be sleeping on them wrong for so many nights in a week.

Has anybody developed this? Man, the pain is excruciating like I have never felt before! My wife tried to rub them, but it did nothing but the normal sunburn pain from the rubbing motion on the skin.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Jay

Jay, I have woken up during the night with different kinds of pain. Cramping, stabbing, etc. The other night I woke up with the mother of all charlie horses in my calf.....man it HURT! :(

Thanks, I'd forgot that I had those first. It started with bad leg cramps in the calves as well, very, very major friggin pain! Would also curl a couple of my toes up. I don't seem to have the cramps anymore, it just changed to these stabbing, electrical, burning, crushing type of pain. Of course my neuro doc says its just part of the SFN and get use to it.

Crap!

Yes this is not uncommon to have pain upon waking in the morning. In fact many experience the pain waking them up in the midddle of night as the condition progresses. However, the good news is that there are effective medication for the nerve pain. Early in the disease Gabapentin works just fine. However, as the condition progresses Lyrica is the drug of choice. I don't know where you are in your disease, early or later. Check with your Neurologist and ask him which drug would be best for you.

See my reply in jsrail.

I know this problem, I have the same kind of pain but my meds help me a lot; I use Amitriptyline. For many years, long before other symptoms of sfn started, I have to put my legs high when I wake up, for about half an hour or so. After that it gets better. Since a few months I have a footstool for my legs to rest, most of the time in the day I put my legs high, like an old lady but it feels better.

For leg cramps at night, take dolomite before going to bed. If you can't find that product, look for something that has calcium carbonate and Magnesium carbonate. It works.

Thanks Earl. Unfortunately, my insurance won't cover Lyrica because its not approved by the FDA for SFN. And my neuro doc won't dx fibromyalgia just so the insurance company will cover it (I guess too by-the-book!). My SFN has far advanced over my entire body, the only thing left is the nerves dying off which will cause me not to be able to sense temperature at all. Other than that, not sure what else there is I'm not dealing with now.

Any thoughts on what happens in the advanced stages so I can compare to where I'm at now?

Jay

Jsrail
I am in a similiar situation. I have severe diabetic neuropathy so advance that I was told my nerves will not heal. I have no sensation from either foot and half way up on both legs. My legs and feet are always cold due to no circulation.

I am told that eventually the muscles will grow weak and eventually a walker then wheel chair will be needed.

i would not buy into that colbey moore. my feet are totally numb going up almost to my knee now and i walk for exercize when i can. i walked 50 minutes today. do what exercize you can when you can and you may never need a walker or wheelchair. there are many people walking around with numb feet and lower legs who dont need to use a walker. what doctors dont know but express opinions on anyway is criminal.